Platts’ Australian alumina daily assessment was steady Tuesday at $341.50/mt FOB, unchanged from Monday, although down $0.50 on the week.

A 35,000 mt Australian parcel for June delivery was heard late Tuesday to have changed hands at $356/mt CIF China basis, L/C at sight. The trade has yet to be confirmed.

Chinese buying ideas hovered mostly at $354-355/mt CFR China Tuesday, with one smelter in central China saying that he was willing to pay between $356-357/mt for June cargoes, citing the availability of US credit as the main reason to import.

No offers were reported from producers Tuesday, but some Chinese buyers said they heard offers talked at $358-360/mt CFR for end-May to June cargoes.

Most Chinese market participants continued to stay on the sidelines Tuesday as the outlook for domestic alumina and metal remained dim.

The Jinjiang output disruption last week has resulted in minimal impact on the market, multiple market sources said. Instead, alumina capacity is likely to continue growing this year, further pressuring the market in the mid to longer term, the sources added.

Some Chinese refiners’ offers have risen this week following the Jinjiang incident, but no trades have been reported done at the higher levels. Market talk surfaced Tuesday that major refiners Jinjiang Group and Chalco are now also planning to raise May spot offers to Yuan 2,600/mt cash.

“We also heard they plan to raise offers, but no confirmation yet. If they do, then we will also raise our quotes to Yuan 2,580/mt cash from the current Yuan 2,550/mt ex-works Shanxi level,” a source from another major refiner Xinfa Group said.

But “offers are meaningless if there’s no trades,” a source close to Chalco said.

Chalco declined to comment Thursday, while Jinjiang could not be reached.

The Platts ex-works Henan alumina spot price continued rangebound at Yuan 2,560/mt ($418) for 70:30 cash and credit payment terms on Tuesday, unchanged from Monday.

The front month May aluminum contract on the Shanghai Futures Exchange closed at Yuan 13,275/mt Tuesday, down marginally from Yuan 13,280/mt last week.

Platts assessed the Handysize freight rate at $12.50/mt Tuesday for a 30,000 mt shipment in June from Western Australia to Lianyungang in China, up $0.25/mt from Monday.